The secret love child of The Dubliners legend Barney McKenna has claimed his entire fortune, after DNA tests proved he was the banjo legend’s son.

The Sunday World reports that Dara Aherne Clarke, 32, has moved into McKenna’s old home in Howth, Co. Dublin where his partner Tina Hove lived following his death in April 2012.

Banjo Barney was the last of the original four piece Dubliners band to pass away last year.

Family members were stunned when Aherne came forward to claim his inheritance shortly after the Irish musician’s death.

According to the report The Dubliners singer was friendly with Dara’s parents Helen Aherne Clarke, and her husband David in the 1980s. The couple were involved in the traditional music scene in Dublin. Their first son Liam was born in 1979. When Dara was born on January 8, 1981 there were rumours, according to Barney's brother, the musician Sean Og, about the identity of his real father.

“Helen was married at the time but when Dara came along, that's where the confusion started. Some people said the baby was Barney's and some people said he wasn't. I sat on the fence. I reckoned something would happen sooner or later," he told the Sunday World.

Despite the rumors, Barney stood for Dara as his Godfather.

"The rumors went on but, I kind of...I mean in the last few years you just had to look at Dara. He is the image of Barney and the image of my young fella," said Sean Og.

After Barney’s death, a Dublin firm of solicitors took Barney’s estate and tried to establish whether he made a will, but so far no will has been found. As a result, after completing DNA tests to confirm he is the famed musician's son, Aherne has inherited his fortune.

Sean Og said: "I was talking to him [Dara] there the other night. He is in great form. He had to get the test to prove that he was Barney's son. The solicitors insisted on the testing. When I saw the 99.999 per cent result, that did it for me. I was satisfied. You could never get a straight answer out of Barney but really you only have to look at Dara."